camel

noun

cam·​el ˈka-məl 

plural camels

1

: any of three large ruminant (see ruminant entry 1) mammals (genus Camelus) that have one or two large humps of stored fat on the back and are used as draft and saddle animals in desert regions especially of Africa and Asia:

a

: the one-humped camel (C. dromedarius) extant only as a domestic or feral animal : dromedary

b

: the 2-humped camels (C. bactrianus and C. ferus) of desert and steppe regions of northwestern China and southwestern Mongolia : bactrian camel

2

: a watertight structure used especially to lift submerged ships

3

: a light yellowish brown

4

a

: camel hair sense 2

"… So we're going to look for more luxury fabrics—cashmere, camel, alpaca and … lambswools."

—Paul Diamond

—usually used before another noun

a genuine camel coat

b

: leather made from the skin of a camel

They all have four-digit price tags and are crafted from luxe leathers like buffalo, calfskin and camel.

—Georgina Safe

—usually used before another noun

camel leather

Illustration of camel

• 1 dromedary
• 2 Bactrian camel

Examples of camel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For an industry that, in many ways, is still recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic, tariffs may seem like the straw that could potentially break the proverbial camel’s back. —Brett F. Braley-Palko, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025

Heather had been working with the Kingpin as his marital therapist and had taken a strong anti-vigilante stance, so her boyfriend's momentary slip was the straw that broke the camel’s back, making her turn to the dark side and team up with the Kingpin. —Skyler Trepel, People.com, 16 Apr. 2025

From learning more about a flamingo's diet to exploring how tall camels are, children gain insights into how different creatures eat, sleep, and play. —Annabelle Canela, Parents, 10 Apr. 2025

Plus, the sleek silhouette and versatile camel color will be easy to style with sweatpants, shorts, and tennis skirts. —Genevieve Cepeda, Travel + Leisure, 9 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English & Anglo-French, from Latin camelus, from Greek kamēlos, of Semitic origin; akin to Hebrew gāmāl camel

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing camel

• Bactrian camel
• camel hair
• camel's hair
• the straw that breaks/broke the camel's back

Rhymes for camel

• hamel
• hamil
• mammal
• trammel
• enamel
• glutamyl

Kids Definition

camel

noun

cam·​el ˈkam-əl 

: either of two large cud-chewing mammals used for carrying burdens and for riding in desert regions especially of Africa and Asia:

a

: dromedary

b

: a two-humped camel of central Asia

called also Bactrian camel